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History of Orissa
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A brief introduction to the historical foundation of Orissa

Orissa proclaims a glorious historical and cultural lineage spanning 2000 years. The history and culture of Orissa is in many ways distinct from those of the northern Indian states and many generalizations that are made about Indian history do not hold good for the Oriya region. The word Oriya is in fact an anglicized version of Odia which in turn is a modern name for the Odra or Udra tribes that inhabited the central region of modern Orissa.

In ancient times Orissa was the regal seat of political power being known then, by the name of Kalinga. It was a major seafaring nation that had strong trade links with most of the sea ports of the Bay of Bengal. For many centuries, a major part of South and South East Asia was under its socio -cultural and even political influence.

 

The temple of Angkor Vat is a classic architectural specimen of Oriyas influence on Cambodian temple architecture. Some regions of Sri Lanka, Java, Bali, Sumatra, Vietnam and Thailand were colonized by the people from Orissa. In fact even today in Malaysia, Indians referred to as 'Kalings' due to the very reason. In fact some Sri Lankan kings trace their origin and roots back to Kalinga.

A major turning point in World History took place in Orissa. The famous Kalinga war that made Emperor Asoka give up power and embrace Buddhism; unfolded in Orissa in 261 B.C. Asoka was the chief proponent of Buddhism and played a major role in taking the religion to distant shores such as Thailand and Cambodia

.When Asoka conquered Kalinga (the original name for a territory which then comprised modern Orissa and parts of contemporary Andhra Pradesh), the Oriya people were already practicing traders. Their independence must have become an economic hindrance to the Mauryan economy and pride. The ruins of Sisupalgarh reveal a well fortified city, dated to the third or fourth century BC, making it evidence enough that the conquest of Kalinga was the great military goal of Asoka's career. The rock-cut edict at Dhauli, inscribed by Asoka in 260 BC post the Kalinga war, is the first dated inscription of historical evidence in Orissa. Asoka's conversion to Buddhism was probably a gradual, long-term process, which reached its dramatic culmination immediately following the battle in Orissa, and his edicts reaffirm this. Starting from the reign of Asoka, Buddhism was popular until the end of the Somavamsi era in Orissa. The excavation at Ratnagiri has revealed that Buddhist art in Orissa developed from about the fifth century AD and continued to flourish up to the twelfth century AD. In fact, Buddhist sculptural art was one of the main constituents of medieval Oriya sculptural art. After Asoka's death, the Mauryan Empire collapsed.

The next known ruler was a native Oriya, King Kharavela, a king of the Aira dynasty, who came to power during the second half of the first century BC. As a patron of Jainism he was responsible for the magnificent monastic caves of Udayagiri and Khandagiri. The rocks of the Khandagiri and Udaygiri hills were carved and tunneled, to create this multi-storied ancient apartment edifice for Jain monks. The sculpture throughout exhibits a strong, lively folk element, which has been executed with a sure and confident hand The well known Lingaraja Temple and Sun Temple of Konark were also built under the royal patronage of Oriya kings.

In some important aspects, all Hindu temples are the same. Symbolic recreations of the Divine Cosmos, Hindu temples are structures whose very structures reverberate with symbolism. The temples also served as a meeting place for all those living in their vicinity. The sculptures on the walls depict religious mythology and legends; many represent military and courtly life and the activities which would have been associated with the temple (such as pilgrimage, teaching, or performance). Oriya temples, and especially the Sun Temple at Konark, are famous for their exquisite and often quite explicit sculpture imagery. In Orissa, it has

frequently been suggested that the imagery has specific reference to Tantric cults.
Orissa has the largest variety of tribal communities in India. These have contributed a great deal in making rich the history and heritage of Orissa. At one extreme are the tribes who lead a relatively secluded and archaic mode of life, keeping their core culture intact, while at the other extreme there are communities which are indistinguishable from the general agricultural communities. They express their cultural identity and distinctiveness in social organization not only through their language, rituals and festivals, but also through their dress, ornamentation, art and craft. Every facets of their life is intimately connected with religious belief, ritual practices, livestock sacrifices, and belief in the supernatural powers. It is these aspects of their culture that give meaning and depth to their lives, and solidarity to their social structure. With the advent of time, traces of borrowing from Hindu Pantheon and religious ceremonies are noticed among the tribes of Orissa. The artistic skills of the tribal people are not only manifested in their dance and music but also in their dress and ornaments, wall-paintings, handicrafts, wood carvings and decorations.

Several Kingdoms, namely, Kalinga, Utkal, Udra/Odra, Kosala, Tosali and Kangoda had flourished in the region currently known as "ORISSA". Orissa pronounced "ODISSA", comes from the Sanskrit "ODRA DESHA" or "ODRA VISHAY". After changing hands from the Marathas, the Mughals and the British, up to 1912 it was a part of Bengal and till 1936 a part of Bihar. The state was officially born on 1st April, 1936. In 1950 it became an independent state incorporated into the union republic of India and continues to remain so